Preparing to travel with pets

Anyone planning to travel or move with pets needs to plan in good time. Find out which animals are considered pets, what entry and exit regulations apply, and how you can prepare your animal for travel in a legally-compliant, healthy and safe way.

What are pets?

Pets are animals accompanying their keeper on a move or trip. They must have been personally acquired and kept by the keeper before entry. Under certain circumstances, you as the keeper can authorise someone else to accompany your animal.

Pets include:

• Dogs, cats, ferrets
• Rodents and rabbits
• Birds, except fowl, turkeys, guinea fowl, ducks, geese, quails, pigeons, pheasants, partridges and ratites
• Reptiles and amphibians
• Ornamental aquatic animals
• invertebrates, with the exception of bees, molluscs (Mollusca) and crustaceans (Crustacea)

Anyone travelling with a pet must take care of the formalities well in advance

Find out in good time about the applicable regulations for entering and leaving Switzerland with pets. Different regulations apply depending on the species, travel destination and number of animals.

Federal government publications: Before you travel – Important information about animals

To travel with pets of a protected species (e.g. wild cats and wolf hybrids or parrots), you must comply with the CITES regulations.

Travel permits

• Leaving Switzerland

  When leaving Switzerland, the regulations of the destination country apply.

  Further information on the travel regulations of the destination country:

  • Leaving the EU
  • EU countries with exemptions for young dogs and cats
  • FDFA: Foreign representations in Switzerland

• (Re-)entering Switzerland

  Most pets from all countries can enter Switzerland without a veterinary permit or a health certificate. These animals are not allowed to enter Switzerland if specific protective measures are in place.

  Protective measures for imports from the EU

  Protective measures for imports from third countries

  Stricter veterinary rules apply to dogs, cats, ferrets and birds as they can transmit animal diseases. If you are travelling with more than five dogs, cats or ferrets, the regulations for commercial import also apply.

  Travelling with dogs, cats and ferrets

  Travelling with birds

  Import of animals and animal products from the EU (commercial import)

Planning your trip

Travelling with pets needs to be planned carefully. As well as the legal requirements, it is also important to consider animal welfare during the journey and at the destination.

• Preventing diseases

  Animals can carry diseases when travelling. For example, in addition to rabies, dogs and cats are also susceptible to parasitic diseases such as piroplasmosis (also known as babesiosis) or leishmaniasis (transmitted by ticks or mosquitoes). Your vet can tell you whether vaccines or worming is necessary.

  Pay attention to any changes in your animal’s behaviour, particularly if you have travelled to a distant destination. If your pet has symptoms such as abnormal tiredness, loss of appetite, fever, digestive problems or discoloured urine, they should be examined by a vet.

  Look into the situation at your holiday destination

  You should look into the following questions before you travel:

  • Are pets allowed at your holiday destination?
  • Is your holiday suitable for the animal (active vs. passive holidays)?
  • Are pets allowed in your holiday accommodation/on the beach?
  • Are dogs required to wear a lead and/or muzzle?
  • Are there entry bans for so-called dangerous dogs?

Travelling with pets by car

Bear in mind the following points during the journey:

• The animal must be placed in the car in such a way that it cannot endanger the driver. This may be behind a grille or in a carrier with which it is familiar.
• The carrier must be big enough for it to stand upright and lie down comfortably.
• The temperature and air circulation in the vehicle must be suitable for the animal.
• On longer car journeys, your animal needs regular water and breaks.
• If necessary, take an adequate supply of the animal’s usual food as it will not be available everywhere.

Flying with pets

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulates the transport of animals by aircraft. You must notify the airline in advance that you will be travelling with an animal.

International Air Transport Association IATA

SRF: Mit Haustieren fliegen (in German)

The procedure differs depending on whether the animal is transported with its keeper or a person authorised by them in the same aircraft (accompanied) or whether it is travelling alone (unaccompanied).

As the owner you are responsible for ensuring that the animal is checked in correctly.

Neither the border veterinary service nor the FSVO accept responsibility for correct booking, nor will they undertake any coordination.

To enter Switzerland with dogs, cats and ferrets and pet birds from third countries, an entry check is mandatory. Stricter import requirements apply here:

Travelling with dogs, cats and ferrets

Travelling with birds

• Accompanied entry

  Animals that are not allowed to travel in the passenger cabin must be checked in as excess luggage or ‘AVI in hold’. You can pick your animal up from the luggage carousel on arrival. You should then take the red customs exit.

• Unaccompanied entry

  Unaccompanied entry is possible, but only by air freight. The airline issues an air waybill (AWB) and the animals will be taken to the animal facility in the airport’s freight area on arrival. The airline is responsible for arranging this procedure. This means extra time and cost.

  If a border veterinary check is required, the animal may only enter Switzerland via Zurich or Geneva airport.

  Special formalities apply. For example, you must be able to prove that the animals already belonged to you in the country of origin. Relevant documents must be presented to the FSVO for assessment.

Does my pet need to be sedated?

Before you travel, talk to your vet about whether medications or special food would be a good idea. It is generally not necessary to sedate pets as sedatives may have side effects such as loss of muscle strength and suppression of thirst.

Calming pheromones are an option for very nervous animals. For animals that suffer from motion sickness, it helps to get them used to longer journeys gradually. Only give medication to counter motion sickness after consulting with your vet.

More information:

Swiss Animal Protection: Travelling with animals (in German)